Process and apparatus for desiccation, carbonization and incineration



3,2 15,100 CARBONI ZA'I'ION Nov. 2, 1965 F. A. M. FABRY PROCESS ANDAPPARATUS FOR DESICCATION,

AND INCINERATION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 6, 1962 %w%% ATTORNEYS3,215,100 FOR DESICCATION, CARBONIZA TION Nov. 2, 1965 F. A. M. FABRYPROCESS AND APPARATUS AND INCINERATION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 6,1962 T1 Eb- BY 77% Z74 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 0 PROCESS ANDAPPARATUS FOR DESICtIATION,

CARBONIZATEON AND INCINERATION Firmin Alexandre Maurice Fabry, 44 AvenueMarie-Jose, Brussels, Belgium Filed Mar. 6, 1962, Ser. No. 177,860Claims priority, application Belgium, Mar. 6, 1961, 600,985 9 Claims.(Cl. 110-8) This invention relates to a process for the desiccation, thecarbonisation and the incineration of various products and an apparatusfor carrying out this process, While providing a total destruction by astrong desiccation and a complete incineration of the waste productssuch as those from household, hospitals and industry etc., whilemaintaining normal sanitary conditions during the operations.

Prior refuse incinerators have various shortcomings. Combustion is notsatisfactory at the beginning of the charging operation, or due to theclogging of the grid or when recharging or also when starting under coldconditions. Some liquid products or products liquified by heating fallthrough the grid, and clog the feeding conduits for the combustion air,and hard or incombustible bodies clog the grid. The heap chargingrestrains the feeding of combustion air and slows down the combustion,resulting in fumes carrying unburned products which contaminate theatmosphere. In the same manner, the blowing of combustion air resultsfrequently in ashes and light unburned products being carried throughthe stack.

It is an object of this invention to avoid the drawbacks of knownincinerators by a process which comprises heating the products to bedestroyed to a temperature sufiicient to induce their completedesiccation and gasification. The gases derived therefrom are put inoptimum condition with respect to the temperature and the admixture withcombustion air, which is also preheated. The temperature will be suchthat it will induce the self ignition of this gaseous mixture. However,in some instances where it would be found necessary or useful, theignition of the gases could be obtained by an associated processcomprising a gas distributor, and an electric resistance, positioned inthe flow circuit of the gases and combustion air. Such an instance wouldoccur where products with a low content of fuel gases are employed. Theywould be drowned in a gaseous mass and seriously impair the shelfignition and the gas-air mixture.

In a more detailed manner, the process of the invention includes rapidlyheating the products to be treated to a high temperature in a containerand then drying and calcining them.

The gases evolving therefrom are mixed with air preheated at a hightemperature, so that the temperature of the gas-air mixture reaches theself ignition temperature of the mixture.

The ignited gases burn in a combustion chamber provided therefor. Thetemperature and the feed of combustion air are adjusted so as to obtainthe most rapid combustion. Thus no unburned product will be found at theoutlet of the apparatus. This process will also allow the destruction ofwaste or other products in the containers used for transporting andcollecting them. These containers are constructed with a refractorymetal,

so that they may be used again after the operation.

From the above, it can be understood that asepsis will be complete andall objectionable odors destroyed. Thus, the refuse-bins will neithercontaminate the rooms, nor provide a source of undesirable odors. Whenunrecoverable containers are utilized, they will be inserted directlyinto the desiccation retort in which they will be burned with theircontents.

Another feature comprises the possibility of working under partialvacuum, thereby preventing any back flow of fumes into the room. This ismade possible by the fact that no obstacles clog the passage of thefumes and air.

The use of suction in the apparatus allows cooling of the fumes beforethey enter the stack, where high temperature may cause degradations,fires etc.

The suction also makes it possible to purify the room, when theatmosphere has been contaminated by the waste products.

The suction through the apparatus leaves, at the outlet of the fan, anavailable pressure, which allows the use of undersized stacks. This ispossible since the aspirator is disposed at the outlet of theincinerator, but not at the top of the stack, as is usually the case forforced draught.

All these advantages are obtained from only one aspirator, thecharacteristics of which depend upon the treated products, theirconstituents, their proportion and the available fume conduits.

The incinerator comprises essentially a jacket or the like, in the lowerpart of which is provided a source of auxiliary heat, which may be a gashearth, an electric resistance, coal, fuel, infra-red heating, batterysteam or overheated air.

Immediately above this heat source, there is disposed a retort or asupport for transport containers which will stand thereon and which willbe disposed to allow a total combustion of the auxiliary fuel.

The products are charged through one or several doors.

A loading door and a deashing door may also be provided so that theproducts follow a path through the apparatus, along which they will bedestroyed. In that case, there is provided a feed back of the hot gaseswhich, before passing through the exhaust stack, will warm up the firstportion of the retort which will then provide the pre-drying of theproducts to be treated. One or several exhaust ducts will also beprovided for leading the steam of the pre-drying step towards thecombustion chamber. The steam is not detrimental to the self ignitionstep and tends to economize auxiliary heat. This arangement will beprovided in a straight line, in the form of an L, in a horseshoearrangement or any other arrangement which seems suitable. There mayalso be provided slopes which facilitate the passage of the wasteproducts through the apparatus or allow the connection of theincinerator directly to the casings of the refuse-bin tilters. Whenusing a single retort, it will be connected directly with the loadingdoor through the casing employed for sucking air.

When treatig refuse-bins, doors will be provided to make theintroduction and removal of the bins easier. There will also be providedsolid plates which will be used as pedestals for the bins. The platesmust be distributed in such a way that the flow of the warming gasesalways contact the walls of the bins in order that the suction mayalways be directed evenly around the bins, even when one or several binsare not in the apparatus.

After removing the bins from the incinerator, they are cooled under ahood which will discharge the fume emanations therefrom, through the airintake. Every charged bin will be replaced by another bin ready to beused.

Under the influence of the heat, the treated products contained in theretort or the bins release steam and gases. These emanations contact abafiie which causes them to flow in heat-exchanging relation to the airintended for their combustion. A batfie extends across the bottom of thegas combustion chamber, so that air and gases are mixed by the stirringeffect provided by the bafile. The baflle comprises one or severalopenings disposed either centrally or on the periphery thereof ordispersed at random. The characteristics of the products to be treatedand the type of apparatus will determine these particular arrangements.

When entering the combustion chamber, the gases mixed with air areheated to their self ignition temperature and then burn very rapidly.The mixture expands in the combustion chamber and is directed by asecond bathe towards the walls of the chamber, so that when contactingthe latter, they are cooled by the air flowing around the combustionchamber, thereby providing the desired cooling of fumes ready to bedischarged and the heating of the combustion air.

The aspirator is positioned to allow it to suck the combustion airthrough an external casing which surrounds the body of the apparatus,the path of, cold air being provided around the stack or at the top ofthe incinerator. The air will be directed on the whole surface of theapparatus by a control system through which it will be fed inside thebody. The regularization and the distribution of air on the largestpossible surface provides the cooling of the external casing as well asthe maximum heating of the air to be used as a combustion gas for thewaste gases.

After passing over the entire external surface of the body, the air fedinside the body through the control openings will rise along theinternal surface of the body between the latter and the auxiliary-fuelhearth. 'Ihen, between the body and the incineration bin or bins, itwill be mixed with the fumes of the auxiliary fuel and heated to amaximum temperature by the time it reaches the baffle. It then entersthe combustion chamber provided for the waste gases.

When using gas, fuel oil, coal or other fuels, the process provides aseparate combustion chamber for the auxiliary fuel, thereby allowing asuitable air control for the best combustion and for reaching thehighest possible temperature.

Nevertheless, the heating of air may be obtained independently of thisdevice.

Between the outlet of the fumes from the apparatus and the aspirator,there is provided a draught regulator to control the suction through theincinerator and thus the proportion of combustion air for the wastegases. [In

' addition, it will also feed sufficient cold air to lower thetemperature of the escaping fumes.

Any system for recovering the produced heat may, of course besubstituted for this feed of cold air in any case where the heatrecovery is desired and is practicable.

The deashing is provided by a container disposed either under theloading hopper or under the deashing door. The fumes are taken from theash holder through the suction path to prevent those fumes fromspreading into the room. This is obtained by a suction intake at the topof the ash bin.

The invention will be now described in detail with reference to theenclosed drawings representing schematically three embodiments of theinvention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view through the incinerator of theinvention for incinerating products in a single container.

FIG. 3.

An auxiliary fuel may be supplied at 1 in FIG. 1. A heating device 2 mayoperate with any fuel, namely fuel oil, gas, coal, electricity, etc. Thehearth 1 is disposed inside a casing 3 With two walls 4and 5 which forma jacket 6 for combustion air which is circulated therethrough. Abovethe hearth L'there is disposed a container 7 containing the products tobe incinerated, which are introduced through a loading door 8. Thiscontainer is fixed inside the incinerator by any suitable means (notshown). Above the container 7, at a small distance therefrom, a bafile 9defines the lower portion of a chamber 10 for the combustion and for thecooling of the fumes. -In addition, this chamber '10 is limited by thewall 5 of the casing.

At the top of chamber 10, there is provided a discharge stack \11containing a fume extractor v12 and provided additionally with a draughtregulator 13. Before the inner mouth of the stack 1 1, there is provideda baflle plate 14.

On its upper face, the external wall 4 of the casing 3 has air ports 15through which air passes into the incinerator jacket 6. At its lowerend, the inner wall 5 of this jacket has control openings 16 throughwhich air may pass to the inside of the apparatus around the hearth 1.

The incinerator operates as follows: The waste prodducts are introducedinto the container 7 through the door 8. The combustion in the hearth .1raises the temperature of the waste product-s. The fumes of hearth 1flow around the container 7. The heated waste products are freed fromsteam, emit gases and burn. The fume extractor 112 produces a partialvacuum inside the apparatus, by sucking fluid from the hearth 1 and fromthe ports 15 through the air jacket 6 around the hearth 1, around thebin 7, and through the bafiies 9 and 14 of the combustion chamber 10.External air and fumes coming from the hearth 1 mix as they flow aroundthe desiccation container 7. The gases coming from the hearth -1, theexternal air fed through the air ports 15 and thence through the airjacket 6 and the control openings 16, together with the desiccationgases from container 7 are mixed under the influence of the bafiledevice 9. Since desiccation container 7 is closed, except at its upperportion, the suction can only pull the air around this container and airdoes not flow into container 7. The desiccation gases therefore do notabsorb oxygen which would burn them inside the container. The loadingdoor '8 is provided with tight gaskets. The absence of draught withincontainer 7 will also prevent any discharge of solids.

On the contrary, at the level of the baffle device, there is obtained amixture of oxygen containing air and fuel gases both heated at a hightemperature which provides suitable conditions for a complete and rapidcombustion in the combustion chamber 10, the resultant fumes beingdischarged through the stack 1 1.

The flow of air sucked through the suction ports 15 and through thejacket 6 provides heat insulation for the assembly.

The system for extracting the fumes from chamber 10 prevents anypressurizing inside the incinerator. It avoids any danger of odorsdischarging into the room. The power of the fume extractor 12 will besuch that it will allow, through the draught regulator 13, a feed ofcold air, which will lower the temperature of the fumes in the stack.

The proportion of sucked air will be controlled automatically by thedraught regulator according to the intensity of the fume emanations.

As can be seen more clearly from FIGURE 1 an ash bin 17 is disposedbeneath a de-ashing door 18 for receiving the residue from withincontainer 7. When the deashing door 18 is opened, the residue may beraked into the ash bin 17 through said de-ashing door. In addition,means (not shown) are included in the de-ashing door for providingopenings through which the odors from the residue in the ash bin 17 maybe sucked therefrom without carrying along the residue inside of the ashbin.

In the modified embodiment represented schematically in FIG. 2, thereare provide locations for several containers '19 above the hearth 1. Thecontainers 19 are supported in a suitable manner (not shown) bypedestals 20. For the remainder, the operation is the same as the onedescribed hereabove.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, as described above, the operation isdiscontinuous; that is, the waste products to be incinerated must beinserted into the container, incinerated, and the residue moved before asecond batch of Waste material may be inserted therein.

However, in the embodiment as shown in FIGS. 3, 3a and 3b, and describedmore fully herein below, the operation is continuous. The waste productsare fed through a loading door 8 and they slide down into an L-shapedincinerating container 7. The other end of the container serves as theexit for the residue. Thus, a separate entrance and exit are provided inthe embodiment of FIGS. 3, 3a and 3b, which obviates interruptions inthe incinerating process during the loading and unloading operations.

In the aforementioned embodiment of FIGS. 3, 3a and 3b, there areprovided a loading door 8 and a separate deashing device 18', the latterbeing completed by an admission door 21.

This modification derives from the internal arrangement, in which thedesiccation container 7 is L-shaped. The products charged through thedoor 8' decrease in volume progressively as they are moved towards ade-ashing device 18' and cover 21, while being completely incinerated.In the first part of their travel in portion 22, they are pre-dr-ied bya draught return device 23 surrounding the portion 22. A dischargecircuit 24 for the steam produced during the pre-drying connects theportion 22 to a combustion chamber 10'. A fume extractor 12' is disposedafter the draught return outlet 23. For the remainder, the operation isthe same as described heretofore.

Turning now to the operation of the incinerator shown in FIGS. 3, 3a and3b, the fume extractor .12 sucks air and gases along a path to bedescribed below. The air and gases which are sucked in by the fumeextractor are mixed with relatively cool outside air through a draftregulator 13' to thereby cool the fumes before they are forced out in adirection, as shown in FIGS. 3:: and 3, through a chmney shown on thetop of FIG. 3 in a manner similar to the cooling operation of theembodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The beginning of the path through which air and gas is sucked by thefume extractor 12' is shown in FIGS. 3 and 3a as suction port 15'. Theair is sucked through a jacket 6', formed by an external wall 4' and aninternal wall 5', and thence around the hearth '1 to be heated therebyin a manner similar to that described in the embodiment .of FIGS. 1 and2. Simultaneously, the hot air is sucked from the hearth and mixed withthe air which has been pulled through control openings 16. The mixtureis then circulated around one leg of container 7', as shown in FIG. 3b,to thereby heat the waste products which are piled in that portion ofthe container. The gases which emanate from the portion of container 7'shown in FIG. 3b are sucked upwardly and mixed with the heated air asthe gases and air pass through a bafiie 9'.

The combined gases and air pass into combustion chamber .10 where theyare ignited in a manner similar to that described in the operation ofthe embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2. The remains of the burned fumes inchamber 10' are then sucked, as indicated by the appropriate arrows, tothe draught return device 23 and around the inclined portion 22 ofcontainer 7' and thence into the fume extractor 12'.

It will be noted that the hot fumes which are circulated around theportion 22 provide a means for predrying the waste products which havebeen inserted therein. Thus,

the preheating of section 22 allows the removal of an important portionof the humidity of the waste products therein. The gases from thatportion escape through the discharge circuit 24 where they are mixed andcombusted in chamber 10'.

Thus, it can be understood that the operation is initiated by feedingwaste products through door 8' into portion 22 of container 7 where saidproducts are predried before they are pushed further into the containerby the insertion thereafter of additional waste products. The insertionof additional batches push the first predried batch around the cornerformed by the Lshaped container 7' where it is distilied, carbonized,calcina-ted, etc., by the heat produced by the burner disposed beneaththe container, as described above.

Further batches push the residue of the first batch forward to the endof the L-shaped container 7. The residue is then raked through deashingdoor 18', as in the prior embodiment, into ash bin .17 by opening cover2 1 and inserting the rake theret'hrough. However, door .18 may be leftopen and the ashes will be forced automatical- 'ly into the ash binthrough the door by the pressure of the preceding batches, caused bysaid pushing resulting by the insertion of said additional batches,which push the residue forward, as described above. When the ash bin 17has been loaded door 18' is closed and the ash bin may be taken away andemptied. Afterwards it is returned and placed under door 18 to be onceagain in position for receiving the residue from container 7'.

While various embodiments of the invention have been shown and describedin detail to illustrate the application of the inventive principles, itS'hOlllld be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwisewithout departing from such principles.

I have described what I believe to be the best embodiments of myinvention. 1 do not wish, however, to be confined to the embodimentsshown. what I desire to cover by Letters Patent is set forth in thefollowing claims.

What I claim is:

'1. An incinerator, comprising an enclosure, means for producing heatedfluid positioned within said enclosure, means for holding solid andliquid waste products, said Waste holding means including an opening inthe top thereof and a liquid tight bottom portion, a source of oxygen, apassageway within said enclosure having one end connected to said sourceof oxygen, a portion of said passageway partially encompassing said heatproducing means and said waste holding means, a combustion chamlberpositioned above said means for holding waste products and includingmeans wherein the oxygen, heated fluid and fumes which emanate from thewaste products are combined, self-ignited, and burned, said chamberincluding a plurality of openings, a duct connected to said chamber,means for sucking the oxygen and heated fluid and gases which emanatefrom said waste products through said passageway, and the remainder ofthe burned combination into said duct, and means for cooling thecontents of said duct.

2. An incinerator as in claim 1, wherein said waste holding meansproducts include an airtight charging door.

3. An incinerator as in claim 1, wherein said waste holding meansmaterial includes at least one reusable open top container.

4. An incinerator as in claim 1, including means for collecting ashesfrom said waste holding means.

5. An incinerator as in claim 1, including battle means positionedbetween the Waste holding means and the combustion chamber for combiningthe oxygen heated fluid and fumes from the waste products.

*6. An incinerator as in claim 1, wherein said waste holding meansincludes an L-shaped container having a predrying section in one leg ofthe L.

7. An incinerator, comprising an outer insulating Wall, an inner wallenclosed by said outer wall, a first passageway formed between thewalls, said passageway having an opening at one end, a supply of fluidcontaining oxygen connected to said passageway opening, an open toppedhearth positioned within the incinerator, means for supplying heat tosaid hearth, a container positioned above said hearth, said containerhaving a closed bottom, an opening in the top thereof and an airtightcharging door at one end, a second passageway for-med between the innerwall and the container and hearth, a chamber positioned above saidcontainer, said chamber having an opening in the bottom and top thereof,a stack, said stack being connected to the opening in the top of thechamber, a draught regulator inserted within said stack, means forexhausting fluids from within the incinerator positioned within saidstack, whereby said exhausting means sucks fluid containing oxygenthrough said first and second passageways, heated fluid from said hearthand fumes from said container, up into said chamber and including meanswherein they are self-ignited and burned, and said exhaust-ing meanssucks the burned remainder into said stack, along with cooling fluidfrom said draught regulator.

8. A process for the desiccation calcinat-ion and incineration of wastematerial comprising the steps of generating hot gases in a heatedchamber, passing the hot gases into heat exchange relation with anapertured container and heating the waste material in the container toproduce fumes having a temperature at least as high as theirself-ignition temperature mixing relatively cool air with said hotgases, exhausting fumes from the container, combining the fumes with themixture of the hot gases and relatively cool air, allowing thecombination to selfignite and burn, and exhausting the remains of theburned combination of fumes, gases and air.

9. A process as in claim 8, including the step of mixing a cooling airwith the remains of the burned combination of fumes, gases and air.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,137,424 4/ 15Ricketts 110-8 1,299,975 4/19 McCutcheon 1-109 1,769,879 7/60 Ho'wle 11018 1,906,023 4/ 3-3' Tobin 1 10-1 1 2,396,091 2/46 Barnes 110-18 X2,811,937 1 1/57 Bouchard 1 108 2,988,023 6/ 61 Osswald 1 10-8 3,043,2487/62 Martin 1108 FREDERICK L. MATTESON, JR., Primary Examiner.

PERCY L. PATRICK, JAMES W. WESTHAVER,

Examiners.

1. AN INCINERATOR, COMPRISING AN ENCLOSURE, MEANS FOR PRODUCING HEATEDFLUID POSITIONED WITHIN SAID ENCLOSURE, MEANS FOR HOLDING SOLID ANDLIQUID WASTE PRODUCTS, SAID WASTE HOLDING MEANS INCLUDING AN OPENING INTHE TOP THEREOF AND A LIQUID TIGHT BOTTOM PORTION, A SOURCE OF OXYGEN, APASSAGEWAY WITHIN SAID ENCLOSURE HAVING ONE END CONNECTED TO SAID SOURCEOF OXYGEN, A PORTION OF SAID PASSAGEWAY PARTIALLY ENCOMPASSING SAID HEATPRODUCING MEANS AND SAID WASTE HOLDING MEANS, A COMBUSTION CHAMBERPOSITIONED ABOVE SAID MEANS FOR HOLDING WASTE PRODUCTS AND INCLUDINGMEANS WHEREIN THE OXYGEN, HEATED FLUID AND FUMES WHICH EMANATE FROM THEWASTE PRODUCTS ARE COMBINED, SELF-IGNITED, AND BURNED, SAID CHAMBERINCLUDING A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS, A DUCT CONNECTED TO SAID CHAMBER,MEANS FOR SUCKING THE OXYGEN AND HEATED FLUID AND GASES WHICH EMANATEFROM SAID WASTE PRODUCTS THROUGH SAID PASSAGEWAY, AND THE REMAINDER OFTHE BURNED COMBINATION INTO SAID DUCT, AND MEANS FOR COOLING THECONTENTS OF SAID DUCT.